The state visit to Denmark in August by US President Donald Trump, which was scrapped 12 days before it was scheduled to take place, cost Denmark at least DKK4 million ($600,000) in preparations by the police.
“Expenses included compensation as a result of withdrawn days off, cancellation of planned accommodation, a number of minor completed operational costs for equipment and material and planning time” the National Police admitted to Danish Radio.
Remarkably, resources used by Denmark’s police security service PET are not included in the estimate, as are other related costs. Denmark’s military, royal family and Copenhagen Airport were also engaged in major preparations for the state visit by the US president. The army was set to assist with the security operation by providing special forces and helicopters, while palace staff were subject to cancellations of their annual leave in order to complete preparations. Costs related to these elements are currently unknown.
Had the visit gone ahead as planned, it would have cost as much as DKK 33 million ($4.9 million) for the police alone.
That sum includes DKK 17 million (2.5 million) on additional police resources, recalling personnel from time off, transport and overtime. Due to elevated security measures, police officers from across the country would have been shipped to the capital to assist in operations.
Trump’s visit would also have involved ongoing assessments of security threats and possible demonstrations, which means that exact figures are subject to a certain amount of uncertainty, the police admitted.
Trump abruptly cancelled the visit to Copenhagen , citing Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen’s dismissal of a potential sale of Greenland to the US, which she called “an absurd discussion”.
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